Preview — Confessions of an Eco-Warrior
by Dave Foreman

Confessions of an Eco-Warrior

A book that will set the course for the environmental movement for years to come, Confessions of an Eco-Warrior is an inspiring ecological call to arms by America's foremost and most controversial environmental activist. "Rude and brilliant. Read it and you will see the future."--William Kittredge.

Community Reviews

Before they were taken over by politically correct left coast weenies Foremans Earth First! was a very cool thing. They were "redneck hippies" who had a love for American wilderness and took radical steps to conserve it. Written after the FBI's attempt to set him up on bogus charges and after he left EF! Foreman lays out his ideas on conservation/ecology and his reflections on his life and times in the environmental movement. There is an emphasis on the wilderness in the western United States wiBefore they were taken over by politically correct left coast weenies Foremans Earth First! was a very cool thing. They were "redneck hippies" who had a love for American wilderness and took radical steps to conserve it. Written after the FBI's attempt to set him up on bogus charges and after he left EF! Foreman lays out his ideas on conservation/ecology and his reflections on his life and times in the environmental movement. There is an emphasis on the wilderness in the western United States with Foreman but thats to be expected considering thats where he's from. Excellent auto-biography from an admirable man who has a lot of interesting ideas. ...more

This book is the most fervent call-to-action to change our mindset and restore the planet to health. there is a great mix of passion and reason, science and sociology, history and vision. If I were going toteach and environmental literature, this book would be the first book read.

I ran into this book when the "environmental movement" was transitioning in this country from one driven by passion to one driven by the new "professionalism" (i.e. the institutionalization of the dampening and shaming of passion). It was comforting and was, and still is, right on.

It is the "professionalizing" of many "environmental groups" that allows them to rationalize thewarping of their missions such as rationalizing drilling on preserves, allowing snow machines,hunting, "consensus buildingI ran into this book when the "environmental movement" was transitioning in this country from one driven by passion to one driven by the new "professionalism" (i.e. the institutionalization of the dampening and shaming of passion). It was comforting and was, and still is, right on.

It is the "professionalizing" of many "environmental groups" that allows them to rationalize thewarping of their missions such as rationalizing drilling on preserves, allowing snow machines,hunting, "consensus building" with developer types. etc.

The book is based on Dave's long history in the "movement" and pretty much nails it.

As an activist, Foreman has done it all - he's chained himself to machinery meant to destroy forests, he spent years wearing a tie and lobbying in Washington, he started Earth First! His passion is contagious in this account of everything from the history of conservationism/environmentalism to his personal/professional journey to why many people think about tree spiking when they hear about Earth First! I kinda fell in love with him and wanted to go live in a tree for a spell after reading this.As an activist, Foreman has done it all - he's chained himself to machinery meant to destroy forests, he spent years wearing a tie and lobbying in Washington, he started Earth First! His passion is contagious in this account of everything from the history of conservationism/environmentalism to his personal/professional journey to why many people think about tree spiking when they hear about Earth First! I kinda fell in love with him and wanted to go live in a tree for a spell after reading this. I'm inspired all over again to fight, and the rid my own life of the over-consumption habits I've got left to rid. Don't rule this one out because you think Foreman or Earth First! is too radical. His introduction could be a code of ethics for all of us when telling our stories. He recognizes throughout his story that movements to stop destroying Planet Earth require work from MANY vantage points - a portfolio or responses and actions.

Besides all of that, he makes great lists of wilderness places in the US I have yet to visit and would like to, like, tomorrow....more

Reading Confessions of an Eco-Warrior, the manifesto of Earth First! co-founder Dave Foreman, published twenty-five years ago, is like reading the frantic time capsule of someone who does not think anyone will be able to discover this capsule in the future. It's a bizarre, heartfelt plea to save the world when it may already be too late.

And still, here we are a quarter century later, with many of the same worries on our minds. There is danger out there, but Foreman relies so much on passion thatReading Confessions of an Eco-Warrior, the manifesto of Earth First! co-founder Dave Foreman, published twenty-five years ago, is like reading the frantic time capsule of someone who does not think anyone will be able to discover this capsule in the future. It's a bizarre, heartfelt plea to save the world when it may already be too late.

And still, here we are a quarter century later, with many of the same worries on our minds. There is danger out there, but Foreman relies so much on passion that the true problems become jokes. He says early on in the book that he is tired of not speaking with passion, but it becomes riddled with hyperbole and cliche so fast that I cannot help but groan (and I agree with him for the most part!). It's problematic as best, and downright wrong at its worst.

I at least have to admire his spirit and passion here, because there really is something wrong with our world. It may be too late to fix it, but I refuse to believe that it is too late to try....more

Dave Foreman is one of the founders of the environmental group Earth First! and co-editor of Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching. The FBI arrested Foreman in 1989 for various felony charges stemming from his environmental activism, including “causing potential damage to humans.” He denied the charges but plead guilty to lesser charges and was given a suspended sentence. He is no longer involved with Earth First!

In his book Confessions of an Eco-Warrior Dave Foreman is very up front witDave Foreman is one of the founders of the environmental group Earth First! and co-editor of Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching. The FBI arrested Foreman in 1989 for various felony charges stemming from his environmental activism, including “causing potential damage to humans.” He denied the charges but plead guilty to lesser charges and was given a suspended sentence. He is no longer involved with Earth First!

In his book Confessions of an Eco-Warrior Dave Foreman is very up front with what he plans to offer the reader – or not offer, as it would be. “First of all, I’m not sure what this book is…I guess it’s a little bit like an ugly mongrel dog in which you can see the ears of one breed, the jowls of another, and so on” (vii). Disjointed and at times ridiculous, Foreman’s book contains 19 chapters, presented as mini-essays, covering everything from the basic rules of monkey wrenching to the consequences of defying the law....more

In this collection of essays, Foreman recounts the founding and rationale behind the environmental group Earth First!, the arguments for and against the necessity and usefulness of monkey-wrenching, and in the final chapter the reasons behind his leaving the group some years later. Although Earth First! has a reputation for extremism, Foreman (at least) comes across as a rational calm voice in an insane and corrupt society hellbent of destroying what little wilderness is left22nd book for 2016.

In this collection of essays, Foreman recounts the founding and rationale behind the environmental group Earth First!, the arguments for and against the necessity and usefulness of monkey-wrenching, and in the final chapter the reasons behind his leaving the group some years later. Although Earth First! has a reputation for extremism, Foreman (at least) comes across as a rational calm voice in an insane and corrupt society hellbent of destroying what little wilderness is left for little or no good reason.

A well-organized ramble (yes, that's what I mean) by one of the most out-spoken environmental advocates of the past forty years. I thought this book might be entirely about monkeywrenching, as that's what many people think of when they hear Earth First! mentioned. However, Foreman does an excellent job of discussing environmentalism from an historical perspective and offering solutions and ideas for what to do about the enduring ecological crisis. This is a great book and one I'll re-read many tA well-organized ramble (yes, that's what I mean) by one of the most out-spoken environmental advocates of the past forty years. I thought this book might be entirely about monkeywrenching, as that's what many people think of when they hear Earth First! mentioned. However, Foreman does an excellent job of discussing environmentalism from an historical perspective and offering solutions and ideas for what to do about the enduring ecological crisis. This is a great book and one I'll re-read many times when I need a boost!...more